In Arabic, the name Betelgeuse can be translated as “shoulder of the giant.” Many cultures throughout history identified Orion as a hunter or giant. To the ancient Egyptians, the constellation was Osiris, a god and primeval king in the culture's mythology.
Either way, it seems likely that Betelgeuse will be the Milky Way galaxy's next supernova but this wouldn't happen anytime soon. It could even be another 100,000 years before Betelgeuse's light is finally extinguished.
Its name is derived from the Arabic term bat al-jawzāʾ, which means “the giant's shoulder.” Betelgeuse is one of the most luminous stars in the night sky.
Will its supernova destroy Earth? Whenever Betelgeuse does blow up, our planet Earth is too far away for this explosion to harm, much less destroy, life on Earth. Studies indicate we'd have to be within 160 light-years of a supernova for it to harm us.
Betelgeuse's Supernova Timeline: While it is challenging to accurately determine the exact year when Betelgeuse will go supernova, astronomers have made predictions based on observations and scientific models. As of the latest research, it is believed that the supernova event could occur within the next 100,000 years.
Betelgeuse is an enormous star. If we were to place it at the center of our solar system, it would extend all the way to Jupiter. The star's size, combined with its position in our galaxy, the Milky Way, allows astronomers to study Betelgeuse in better detail than most stars.
Now consider this: It's believed that Betelgeuse, a giant red star in the constellation Orion, is approaching the end of its life cycle. Most scientists believe it will become a supernova in the near future.
Betelgeuse will, eventually, go supernova. However, scientists expect this isn't likely to happen for about another 100,000 years, at which point Betelgeuse will become either a neutron star or black hole. The star's final fate depends on how much material is left after the supernova event.
Today, Betelgeuse is one of the largest known stars, measuring more than 700 million miles (1.2 billion kilometers) in diameter. If Betelgeuse were to replace the sun at the center of the solar system, it would reach all the way to Jupiter. On the other hand, the star is no longer anywhere near as hot as it used to be.
Scientists are keeping a close eye on Betelgeuse, as this red giant is a dying star that is close to turning supernova. However, given the huge timescales in the life of stars, this last step may still take thousands of years.
Betelgeuse is about 15 to 20 times more massive than the Sun, and stars of this mass are expected to end their lives in a powerful explosion known as a supernova. Betelgeuse's red colour shows it is a red supergiant, meaning it's already approaching the end of its life. But that end may still be a million years away.
Although some hype up Betelgeuse's looming doom, its coming explosion, called a supernova, might not happen for at least tens of thousands of years, if not more like some 100,000.
“We conclude that Betelgeuse should currently be in a late phase (or near the end) of the core carbon burning,” the paper notes. “After carbon is exhausted in the core, a core-collapse leading to a supernova explosion is expected in in a few tens [of] years.”
At 640 lightyears, Betelgeuse is far enough away not to pose a direct danger to life on Earth, but for weeks it would burn very intensely in the sky; about as bright as the full Moon and easily visible during the day.
This fiery demise is what astronomers call a supernova explosion, and in the case of Betelgeuse, it will be a spectacular sight for observers on Earth. Since the star is only 650 light-years from Earth, those layers of gas and dust will shine as bright as the full moon in our sky for several weeks.
Stars more massive than the sun like Betelgeuse, which has 11 times the mass of our sun but is at least 764 times its size, tend to be blue-white or red. But, as they change from hot young blue stars to cooler and older red giants, they pass through a short yellow-orange phase.
Betelgeuse is the 10th brightest star in the night sky, making it easy for us to spot. Just like with Rigel, we want to look over towards Swampy Summit in the northwest.
